Lower Court Holding
Decision of the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
The Plaintiff, Thomas Van Orden, asks the Federal courts to order the State of Texas to remove from the grounds of the State Capitol a granite monument in which the Ten Commandments are etched. In a bench trial, the district court considered documents, testimony, and an extensive stipulation of facts filed by the parties. In a careful opinion, the court rejected the claim of First Amendment violations and entered judgment for the State. The plaintiff appeals. We affirm. Introduction The Capitol, with its surrounding 22 acres, was dedicated on May 16, 1888. The first monument was erected on these grounds…
